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    Spiritual Lessons (Flashback)

    Shimiko Chinoike
    Shimiko Chinoike


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    Post by Shimiko Chinoike Sat Oct 27, 2018 9:57 am

    Shimiko was on a tall ladder stacking books towards the back of the comfy bookstore and trinket shop known as the Home of the Saints. A lot had happened with the Church over the past two years. It was slowly growing and it was working on its image. Shimiko knew that it was only a matter of time before it was ready to go fully public. Of course she would need to ensure that practice of the religion was legalized but she remained hopeful that she would be able to talk to the appropriate people about getting to that. In the meanwhile she would keep up with her religious duties which included instructing the neophytes, sacrificing the Church's enemies, and ensuring its books and doctrines were maintained.


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    Ulfric
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    Post by Ulfric Sat Oct 27, 2018 1:30 pm

    Taking out the old, cracked flyer from her pockets, Akari verified the name and the address of the shop before her with what was written on the paper. It matched. For a long while she'd had the opportunity to step inside the building to see what it was about, but every time the yokai found some excuse not to step in and bother with it. Yet she had not been able to throw away the pamphlet either, the words the girl had shared that day somehow haunting her. She had decided to end this haunting by actually checking out the building, taking a decision for once and for all by pushing open the doors of the book store and stepping inside.

    "Home of the Saints".

    Attire:
    Akari found it ironic that she stepped into a shop with this name. The girl was dressed in a black and mauve jacket, black skirt and striped stockings and with solid black boots. Her hat did little to hide her long white hair but did a remotely good job to hide the horns, whereas her black eyes were somewhat hidden from sight as the girl mostly lowered her head so the hat would cover them. Akari could have fit right in, were she not a dream eating demon.

    Laying eyes on the books and curious trinkets screaming 'spirituality' from miles away, the yokai slowly walked passed them as her eyes took note of the titles and topics with a raised eyebrow. This certainly was a curious shop, if anything. Harbouring topics Akari would never have bothered with were it not for the pamphlet, the yokai was too much of a survivalist and pragmatist person to believe in things such as God or give faith a chance. For a moment, Akari was of a mind to walk out again when her eyes noticed the girl that she had met two years ago.

    The nameless girl had grown older as well, more feminine in shape too, but that blonde hair, countenance and mien remained the same. Moving closer, she waved at her and rose her head to leave no doubt about the black eyes she bore, then took out the two-year old pamphlet that had been sitting in her pouch.

    "You gave me this two or so years ago. Is this still valid?", she asked with raspy voice.



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    Shimiko Chinoike
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    Post by Shimiko Chinoike Mon Oct 29, 2018 9:37 pm

    Shimiko looked to see someone enter the shop and approach her. She could read the girl's body language and could tell she moved with purpose. She was here for a reason and not to browse trinkets and books. The ANBU stiffened ready to leap into action if necessary but she noticed the Oni's horns and when the girl placed the pamphlet down on the table she recognized her as being one of the Yokai she had spoken to about joining the Church. Shimiko hopped down from the ladder and landed on her feet with expert grace. "Yes of course!" she exclaimed before locking Akari in a tight embrace. The prodigal daughter had finally come home and even though it was two years later, Shimiko was more than happy to pick up where they left off. Shimiko knew that the girl probably valued her space but she wanted to communicate that Akari was always welcome here and that the Church promised affection and a sense of belonging. Shimiko would usher Akari towards the back where the store kept its private collection of rare and illicit reading material. Books about Jashinism and various other banned cults and scriptures. Shimiko selected a book from the shelf and showed it to Akari. The book's title was plain with gold and red embroidered words: The Seikyōkai.

    "This book here will change your life. My name is Shimiko Chinoike by the way. What's yours?" she wanted to get pleasantries out of the way as fast as possible. If Akari had remembered her after all this time and kept the pamphlet then Jashin must have blessed her mind and spirit in such a way as to make her ready to receive this truth. Shimiko was also confident that the religion would be legalized soon and so precautions normally taken weren't necessary.


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    Post by Ulfric Tue Oct 30, 2018 4:34 am

    "Longest validity date ever.", the yokai thought to herself, suddenly being embraced by the stranger before her. An unusual feeling of which she was not too sure what to do with it. The girl before her seemed kinder than she remembered, joyful that she had come to show this pamphlet. Like an unspoken promise being fulfilled. It left Akari a little confused about what exactly was going on, but as the shop keeper beckoned to follow her she followed with a cautious eye. No one could be that happy just from meeting an oni, right?

    Once in the back of the store, more books were found. Holding even stranger topics than the first one. More religious inclined, debatably forbidden books about cults she had never even heard about. One of these would be taken and showed, titled 'The Seikyokai'. This girl, named Shimiko Chinoike, said it would change her life but was answered with a eyebrow sceptically being raised at those claims. Akari wasn't the kind to read much and even if she did, she doubted books would change a lot about her life.

    "Akari, of the Yokai.", she said in reply to the question, removing her hat to let out the horns underneath it. Whatever last name she remembered about herself was of little matter since she had no real family anyway. "I don't really like reading though. Why do you say this will change my life?"

    Eyeing the book in question, she wondered why exactly she was supposed to read on churches. If there was one thing Akari held little in her soul, it was faith. The survivalist oni trusting her own strength and skill more than anything else.




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    Post by Shimiko Chinoike Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:41 pm

    The Seikyōkai, or The Orthodoxy, was the central text of the Orthodox Church of Jashin. Its name was a shorthand for the Church itself encompassing its uniqueness regarding the practice of the Jashin faith. All of the early Church's history, its lessons, and commandments could be find within the book. When Shimiko saw the skeptical look on the Oni's face her smile grew wider. She held the book high. "Because Akari dear, it will explain to you the reason why we are all here. What are true purpose in life is. And once you know what that purpose is, I promise you will be filled with a joy you've never known. You will have a new family who will see you through thick and thin. Its a truly wonderful thing to know the truth of this world and what lies beyond it. But don't take my word for it, if you don't like reading alone we will go through the book together periodically and I can help you understand what's in it. There are others like it each of them containing a large piece of the puzzle. Everything is connected. It all fits together. And when you see the complete picture..." Shimiko took a deep breath and exhaled. "The world will be your playground Akari-chan"

    Shimiko recalled that the Oni was not well fed when she saw her last and then motioned her to a door a bit further in the back. She opened it and it led into a pantry/common room where there was an assortment of food on the table. Cookies, cakes, buns, donuts, and other snacks.

    "You hungry?" she inquired.


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    Post by Ulfric Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:11 pm

    Akari was not quite sure what to make of the whole speech. One side it pulled her in. The idea of a family, of being part of something, having a place in the world and knowing her life was more than some dreary curse was an appealing proposition. A feeling of belonging rather than being a rebel without a cause could be a nice change of pace in her life. The question rose if she was capable of such, however.

    On the other side, the ceremony was too much at once, the whole explanation too air-headed and unbelievable for the down-to-earth oni to believe there was a purpose of existence beyond her. She was not some piece of a greater puzzle, she was just Akari. Plain and simple. An oni born hangry at the world. She was not the sort to believe in god, and this sounded pretty much like the sort of holy ramble Church goers were armed with by default. The former scepticism in her eyes made place for doubt as she didn't 'buy it' just yet.

    "Sounds bloated if you ask me... I can already play wherever I want, whenever I want. Doesn't feel like some invisible strings are pulling me around.", she said with a shrug as she walked behind Shimiko to the next door. A new room filled with food and confectionery was revealed and when the question was asked if she was hungry, she naturally said, "No, not really.", since she hated relying on others. The growling complaint from her stomach refusing cooperation with her spoken words right after earned itself a mumbled 'traitor' between her teeth. "Maybe just a little bit..."

    She probably could have devoured an elephant and still be hungry at this point but she didn't quite feel like telling that. Her worries were not that of others. Like always, she'd deal with them by herself.

    "So you all come together to talk about a happy life?"




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    Post by Shimiko Chinoike Sat Nov 03, 2018 2:02 pm

    Akari wasn't really buying the whole pie-in-the-sky speech. The realization didn't bother Shimiko as she knew that some people came from harder backgrounds. High level concepts and promises meant nothing to them. They wanted concrete results and tangible benefits which Shimiko could of course provide. Shimiko pointed to the table with the snacks, she gestured specifically to the plates and napkins before saying: "Help yourself". The Oni was a proud little demon and while Shimiko's first instinct was to fix the girl a plate for herself she could tell that the action would only make the prospect more salty. She was an independent woman but accepting food from others was something she was willing to do grudgingly, having her food prepared for her though likely was a step too far.

    Not wanting to make the girl feel like a moocher Shimiko quickly began fixing her own plate. She took far more food than she would normally eat but she did it with a level of non-nonchalance. If Akari wanted to stuff herself she would not feel rude or out of place as Shimiko was willing to do the same. Not that it mattered since they currently had the room completely to themselves. She munched on a donut and then answered her new prospect's question.

    "Happy life is a bit of a misnomer....when you learn the truth of this world it can lead you to a happy life. You can take steps to better your life. Steps that no other person would dare take because they usually lack the skill and friends willing to help them carry out the necessary tasks...I'll start with the basics...."

    "The Creator of this world, Jashin, is a God of perpetual violence and death. He made us in his Image and designed us so that we would be most in tune with our true nature when we kill. Through him all feats of wonder are possible be it ninjutsu or taijutsu or what have you. He has divinely inspired every warrior to exist and we owe him thanks and praise by fulfilling our purpose and killing others in his name. Akari-chan....when you sacrifice someone to Jashin you are not only giving him thanks and praise, you are nourishing your soul by bringing it closer to its intended purpose. That process will lead you to a happier and more fulfilling life....oh and it will make you a better shinobi too. All the best shinobi are ruthless killers and all of the most ruthless killers are Jashinists"

    She popped the remaining piece of doughnut into her mouth and took a seat on the couch near the table. She patted the area next to her and invited Akari to sit down with her.


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    Post by Ulfric Sat Nov 03, 2018 2:44 pm

    Akari moved to the table with confectioneries and eyed the goods on the table for a moment, slightly indecisive about what to take and try out. Even after she picked up a plate, the choice remained difficult. So much sweetness was nice for any sweet-mouth but at the same time did little to fill the starving monster that was her stomach. When Shimiko stepped up to take a platter for herself, it somewhat broke the difficulty Akari suffered in her decision. She ended up picking almost everything but the buns, mostly going for the harder, crunchy sort of delicacies.

    All the while, Shimiko would start her explanation, Akari absent-mindedly nodding at what was being told until she was about to bite into a doughnut and hear the girl say that 'Jashin is a God of perpetual violence and death'. Halting in the execution of eminent chewing death upon the doughnut, he brow would rise up as she tried to confirm what she had just heard. Perpetual violence and death? Was God not some sort of benevolent being or something of the sort? Was she remembering the gospel wrongly?

    Realising the doughnut in her hand was quietly awaiting its ordeal, the oni munched away at the chocolate-covered goodie and proceeded to pick up the rest of the revelation. '... and killing others in his name.'. She was fairly certain now that she had heard right the first time. This god was not some goodie-two-shoes power of the sort most clergy spoke. This was a god promoting a darker side of life that appealed more to the survivalist oni. One of blood and suffering. Adding to that, Shimiko seemingly quickly wove some attempt to appeal to her shinobi side which, to the oni, was just a necessary accepted 'evil' for her to survive within the walls of Kumogakure. If it was up to her, the yokai would be gone from city life first thing in the morning as soon as the occasion revealed itself. Back into the wilderness, where she could live the way she wanted, shape the world as she wanted, without needing to take care of dull missions for equally dull civilians. Stronger than she used to be, no bandits to 'adopt' her.

    "Sounds like your... god knows how to have fun.", she said after the whole speech, her words genuine in their simplicity. Only the word and concept of 'god' not quite being her sort of appeal. "Unfortunately, killing isn't that difficult once your target submits to your strength and the dead make for poor games."

    She'd take another bite of the doughnut, chewing heartily before swallowing the piece. As Shimiko moved to the couch near the table, Akari would take seat next to her as invited. Once seated, the black pools for eyes of the demon would seemingly transfix upon Shimiko's eyes, the void of the dream eater's nature seemingly swallowing light itself as it entered her eyes.

    "Death grants a victim respite rather than regret. No challenge, no resistance, no reaction. Where's the fun in that?", and as she asked that question, the twin-voids would darken still as a spark of the grimancer's torturous nature deadened light within even further. Then, like sudden broken hypnosis, she'd abruptly move her eyes to her plate and pick up the next piece of confectionery. A crunchy cookie cracking slightly harder than it should have under the pressure of her teeth. "Is death not too good an offer granted by your... god?"




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    Shimiko Chinoike
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    Post by Shimiko Chinoike Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:26 pm

    (Wrapping this up because Akari quit)

    Shimiko answered Akari's questions and many more that would be posed. The two would finish their meal and then go their seperate ways. Hopeflly the Oni would leave with some satisfying answers about the religion or at the very least her curiosity would be piqued so that she could learn even more. In either case, Shimiko had felt like she had done her best and soon she was back to tending the shop.

    Exit


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